I will never be Renzong

Chapter 53 The Disaster Caused by Elopement

In the Ciyuan Hall, a total of 12 potatoes of different sizes were harvested from 84 potatoes, totaling more than 40 catties, which is about half a stone.

Looking at the potatoes piled up like a hill, Liu E was shocked in his heart, and even the important court officials who followed were laughing from ear to ear, opening and closing their mouths were all compliments such as God's auspiciousness and blessing of the Song Dynasty.

Looking at the potatoes, Zhao Zhen had already moved his mind, and said: "Ma'am! After harvesting in this dynasty, the yield of potatoes is beyond doubt, and now I have to do one more thing, which is to try and taste the potatoes, to prove that the potatoes are real. It can be eaten."

This is also the reason why Liu E thought about it. After all, except for that Haike, no one had eaten this potato, and they didn't know how to eat this potato.

"Does the official know how to eat these potatoes?"

Liu E frowned and asked.

"Ma'am! This potato! It can be shredded and fried, and the taste is very delicious. It can also be cut into pieces and fried with eggplant. It is also very delicious. Of course, the most delicious is the beef stew with potatoes. It is simply delicious. It's delicious!"

Life is to learn to enjoy. Zhao Zhen was also an out-and-out foodie in his previous life. When it comes to eating, no one can compare to him, but he is the kind of person who can only eat but can't cook.

"Is that what the Haike told you?"

Looking at Zhao Zhen's intoxicated face, Liu E asked suspiciously.

"Forehead?"

Zhao Zhen knew that he had spilled the beans and said something he shouldn't have said. After a brief moment of numbness, he hurriedly replied: "This is not what Haike said, but what I saw in a book collection of Zishan Hall in the early years." It records in detail how to eat potatoes, but it is a pity that a fire burned it to ashes in the fifth year of Dazhong Xiangfu. Fortunately, I have a good memory and am deeply impressed by these potatoes. Otherwise, I would not have spent the time. 100 taels of silver to buy this Haike’s potatoes!”

Naturally, it was impossible for the Song Dynasty to have a book recording how to eat potatoes. Zhao Zhen made it up casually, and even if someone questioned it, there was no way to verify it, because the fire was real.

The cause of this fire was caused by an affair between children, but it caused no less damage to the country than a war.

According to records, there is a maid in Rongwang's mansion. She is twenty-eight years old and has just started her love affair. She is called Miss Han. After a few contacts with Meng Gui, they made a private decision for life, but because the palace does not allow sexual intercourse between servants, the two often meet privately at night.

After a long time, the two were no longer satisfied with this shady private meeting, so they decided to elope, but they didn't want to suffer all the suffering in the world due to lack of money after elopement, so they planned to steal some belongings and ornaments from the host's house as a gift. The cost of living in the future.Ms. Han did not stop doing anything, and after a few days, she actually accumulated some jewelry, which has not been discovered yet.

On April 1015, 4, the fifth year of Dazhong Xiangfu, on this night, Ms. Han decided to do it for the last time, and then she was going to leave with her lover. Happy days are just around the corner.

Just when Miss Han stretched out her slender hands towards the owner's jewelry box in the dark, suddenly the lights came on brightly, and she shouted angrily: "Come on, take this little thief down", Miss Han suddenly paralyzed in fright. It was the wet nurse of King Rong who had long suspected that Ms. Han was in charge of stealing herself, so she followed her secretly and took down Ms. Han who was stealing on the spot. Since King Rong was not at the house at the time, the nurse ordered the guard Meng Gui to temporarily detain Ms. Han until tomorrow. King Rong went back to the mansion and sanctioned him again.

According to the punishment at that time, a punishment with a cane was inevitable. Ms. Han's small body was estimated to be a dead soul under the cane, so she discussed with Meng Gui to run away on the way, but it was late at night, the gate of the palace was closed, and the key was locked. In the hands of the manager, it was almost impossible for Meng Gui to get the key, so Ms. Han came up with an idea to ask Meng Gui to set fire to the Buddhist hall of the palace, planning to escape from the palace while everyone was fighting the fire.

In fact, this is a good strategy, but when Meng Gui set the fire, suddenly a northeasterly wind blew up, and the Buddhist hall was located in the northeast corner of Rongwang Mansion. In the northeast corner of the palace, besides Prince Rong’s Mansion, there are five other prince’s mansions. Under the whistling northeast wind, the fire was like a fire dragon, circling towards the other five palaces. Not only half an hour later, the six palaces were transformed into Ashes, the fire headed towards the palace, and after burning down, it reached the inner palace where the emperor lived.

The eunuchs and guards did not dare to be negligent and tried their best to keep the fire out of the inner palace. The fire turned to travel southward, completely reducing the spice storehouse, the secret pavilion history hall, and the inner storehouse. There are a large number of precious books stored in the Secret Pavilion History Museum, and the internal inventory contains the family property stored since the founding of the Song Dynasty. Before Song Zhenzong could use it, he was burned by the fire.

The fire burned for a day and a night. The fire caused by the elopement of maids and guards resulted in the death of more than 1500 guards, countless people were buried in the sea of ​​fire, and countless gold and silver were lost. Ms. Han was beheaded and paraded in the streets for three days. , was executed afterwards, Meng Gui did not escape, was tortured, and King Rong was demoted as King Duan. This absurd arson caused by elopement hit the Song Dynasty no less than the consumption of a war. It can be described as the most tragic event in history. elopement.

It can also be said that in the early days of Song Renzong, the government was in short supply, and even the palace could not be built, which has something to do with it.

The important ministers present and even Liu E and the Yang family were all witnesses to this disaster, so they were very impressed. After all, they lived a life of saving food and clothing for two years because of it.

Zhao Zhen took out eight huge potatoes from the 84 potatoes, and planned to use them for tasting. After all, there were no less than 20 important officials present, including the harem and others, at least one or two bites per person, but Liu E saw Zhao Zhen actually picked up the big ones, and couldn't help but say with some distress: "The official! You don't need so many, the official can just take four small ones. This is just a small amount of potatoes, so they have to be kept as grain?"

The ministers below also advised, seeing this, Zhao Zhen had no choice but to take four slightly smaller potatoes and hand them to the cook in the imperial dining room.

"It's a pity! It would be great if there was beef!"

Zhao Zhen said with a sigh.

The court of the Song Dynasty mainly ate mutton, and the general banquets were basically whole sheep feasts, and cattle were an extremely important productive force in the farming society. In the Song Dynasty, private suicide of cattle was expressly prohibited by law. "Song Xingtong" clearly stipulates, "Those who kill officials and illicit cattle will be punished for one and a half years. Those who commit suicide by oxen and horses will be punished for one year."

Therefore, cattle are an important strategic material in the ancient farming society, an important means of production, even more important than people.

(End of this chapter)